Peanut Festival

This morning we spent a couple hours at the Aubrey Peanut Festival...for those that may not know, my husband grew up in this smaller rural town north of Denton and his much of his family attends this annual event. We enjoyed getting to see extended cousins and old high school friends...and of course the yummy corn dogs and spiral cut/deep fried potatoes.

Kendall wasn't super friendly or happy for most of the outing, as she has been for the past few days. Maybe she's have an early hormonal moment...Leah just seemed to take it all in - I don't know that she remembers this event from last year.

I got to snap a few shots and had a few moments of severe dog envy. I'm still grieving the loss of my 12 year old schnauzer Jolie from late Spring...and there were soooo many cute puppies to pine over!

Leah snuggling with my husband's Aunt Janice

Kendall in a rare moment of cooperative posing...loved this building!

Kendall - all grins for this one

PS Addiction

I have an addiction.

To Photoshop.

Oh, it took us a while to get here. At first, I wanted to pitch you across the room in frustration because you are NOT user friendly. But we got past that. And now I LOVE you. I still love to take pictures, but I must admit that now my first thought is what I can do with those pictures...in beloved Photoshop.

It began innocently enough with a wedding invitation...then it spun off to a test Christmas card...now I've sworn off ever buying another online card, collage, etc ever again and have begun fanatically creating these collages...

And yes, I titled this blog entry "PS Addiction"...well, because I'm beyond full name with my little addiction...we're blossomed into "abbreviation" status :)

One of the first ones created...just feeding the frenzy that would later develop...

Just one of the recent pictures I've created for photo sessions...

Fortunately my addiction has coincided perfectly with one of my sister's new business adventures "Sparkle More Decor"...now I get to make these for her and feel a little functional...isn't this an awesome wreath? She makes them completely personalized to YOU. Email her at maili_ramirez@yahoo.com for details!

My Little Emotional Roller Coaster

Earlier this evening, Leah had just awoken from a very late nap and was a little fussy. As I took her across the house to rock her, Kendall became very upset that I didn't wait for her. Running into the room where I was rocking Leah, Kendall started to hit and kick at me - not completely unusual for our little passionately emotional child.

Once Kendall calmed down, I asked her "why did you kick and hit at Mommy like that?"

"Because I don't like you Mommy," she replied, leaning in and giving me a kiss on the nose.

I pulled my face away from her and started laughing, to which she replied, "What? I like you now."

The teenage years are going to be an awesome ride!

Happy 2nd Birthday Leah!

Two years ago today, our precious angel Leah Claire was born just shortly after 4pm. I have to try very hard to remember anything but what she is today - a little girl with dimples that can melt your heart - that is into EVERYTHING. She is strong enough to open the fridge, which has caused all kinds of fun, but that is another story for another day.

What are Leah's loves? Dora, Caillou, Max and Ruby...plastic dolphin bath toys (doll-feen!) that she treats like baby dolls. You can usually find a few 'tucked in' under rugs throughout the house...string cheese, vanilla wafers, whipped cream (imagine that)...her big sister (sissy!)...her "mommydaddy" since we are apparently one entity...balloons...bubble baths...

What are Leah's dislikes? Shoes...potty training...car rides without the DVD on (tv on, mommy!)...sand...her big sister (SISSY!...followed by crying)...showers...riding in a shopping cart...long car rides (just found this one out on our last road trip)...drop-off time at daycare and church...

We'll always see you as our little angel...you arrived at a darker time when Grandpa was very sick, but you helped us all heal I think.

Love you Bean Bean!

Vacations...Storms...Kids!

We recently returned from our vacation/mini-reunion to Gulf Breeze, Florida. I enjoyed seeing my dad's brother and family, many of whom I had not seen in over a decade. Poor Leah suffered from a ear infection early on in the trip, so we got to check out the emergency care facilities located nearby. Kendall loved having her very best friends (cousins Jake, Ella, and Rachel) within arm's reach all week. Trenton survived the week of total in-laws...extended at that!

We returned that late Sunday and witnessed a horrible storm sweep through the area the following evening. Our home is fine, however some of our land did not make it out quite so well. Everything is cleaned up and back to normal now, but it looked like a tree battle field for a couple weeks!

Kendall and Leah are going up so fast...Kendall began swim lessons today after ditching her floaties last week. She was very excited about the lessons until she realized what the lessons actually meant - ie hard work in the pool with a stranger, not push-over Mommy. She survived however and is actually looking forward to her next lesson.

Leah turns two this week! In some ways, I cannot believe she is already two. It seems like just yesterday I was watching the fireworks display 9 months pregnant, completely terrified at having two children under two. Now the terror has given way to something more like impatience and exhaustion! In other ways, I can definitely tell Miss Leah is turning two...the child can pitch a fit like no other...well, except maybe her sister...but it's still somewhat shocking considering the perfect little angel she was just a few short months ago.

It's interesting watching the relationship between Kendall and Leah develop. Kendall is still the boss in many ways, but Leah now has begun to fight back in certain areas. Just this past week I was grilling dinner outside and heard screaming coming from the house. I turn to discover that Leah has a chunk of Kendall's hair, pulling with all her might with no immediate intentions to let go. They do have their moments of playing very well together and it's adorable to watch...usually it's Kendall being the teacher and Leah being told what to do...but hey, as long as they're both content with that...

One of the trees we lost in the storm

Kendall hugging on her BFF Ella

Leah at the beach

Jolie's Triumphant Exit

Today my Jolie passed away.

And believe it or not, this was an answered prayer. Jolie's condition had rapidly decreased, so much so that I had finally given in to the pressure and called the vet about possibly having her to put to sleep. I have never liked that thought. Unless she was in true pain, I couldn't imagine taking in a live, breathing dog and bringing back her remains in a box.

So today at work, after I called the Vet, I prayed that she be released from her sick body here on earth...and she was. I came home to find her forever asleep.

I couldn't help but cry and it was 3 year old Kendall who took a tissue, wiped my face, and told me it was going to be okay...she would take care of me.

My sister said it best "Faithful as always, she did as you wished."

My Kendall Bee is Three!

My sweetie pie turned three on January 20th! Yes, I am a little delayed in this posting but there will be a few other blog posts about why...so back my Kendall...her favorite color in the whole wide world is PINK (can you tell from the picture?)...her best friend is cousin Ella...she could watch Dora for days and days without ceasing if allowed...she likes sugar sugar sugar (wonder where she got that from?) but doesn't like chocolate - won't touch chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cake, brownies, or chocolate milk...she loves to have her nails painted (usually at least 2 colors) but hates to have her hair fixed (by mommy anyway...Aunt Maili and Grandma seem to get away with it)...her favorite song is "I need you now" by Lady A. (nothing like hearing a 3 year old sing 'it's a quarter after one and I'm a little drunk and I need you now...")...she likes to swing and climb the mini-rock walls at the playground but is still scared of the slides...last fun factoid that mommy is certainly proud of.....drum roll please....she is completely potty trained! She even wears panties to bed at night :o)

Love you Miss Kendall Bee!